Watching the Mountain

She felt like she’d been played.

’To think it was for a reason like this...’

But she quickly took a deep breath to calm herself. ’No matter what that guy is like, I have to stand firm.’

She looked at Xu Ran, her gaze firm, showing her determination.

Seeing how insistent they both were, Xu Ran pondered for a moment before agreeing.

"I’ll give you each another three thousand Contribution Points. You’ve fallen too far behind the others in the early stages. It’ll be too difficult later on otherwise."

"And take these two Communication Jade Talismans. If you run into any trouble, you can contact me."

This time, the two of them didn’t refuse. They knew that given their current situation, it would be very difficult for them to get much farther under normal circumstances.

*

*

*

After settling matters for the pair, Xu Ran returned to his Cave Mansion to find Yue Qingyu sitting there, watching him with a gentle smile.

"All settled?" she asked softly.

Xu Ran nodded.

"Just like how I arranged things for you back then?" she asked with a light laugh.

"You guessed, Senior Sister?" Xu Ran nodded slightly, replying with a smile.

Yue Qingyu nodded slightly. "That seems like something you would do."

Xu Ran praised her with a smile, "As expected of my Senior Sister."

He then walked into the kitchen, brought out the prepared meal, and said in a low voice, "Time to eat."

The two sat facing each other. Xu Ran used a bowl, while Yue Qingyu ate directly from a wooden bucket.

Xu Ran liked to chew loudly, and he slurped his soup with a particularly loud SLURP SLURP. When they weren’t talking, the entire hall was filled with the sounds of his eating.

"Do you cook often?" Yue Qingyu asked, looking at Xu Ran after taking a sip of soup.

Xu Ran shook his head. "Not really. After I began my cultivation, I started eating less. But after Little Xiyue came, she insisted on cooking every day, and I would eat with her."

Yue Qingyu nodded slightly, looking a little surprised. "The food you make is delicious. I assumed you cooked often."

Now it was Xu Ran’s turn to be surprised. "From the way you eat, Senior Sister, it seems like just another part of your cultivation. I didn’t think you cared much about the flavor."

Yue Qingyu nodded. "I don’t particularly care, no. But even if it’s for cultivation, a good flavor can improve one’s mood. There’s nothing strange about that."

Xu Ran nodded slightly. "I know how to make quite a few dishes. Since you say so, Senior Sister, I’ll make more for you to try from now on."

"I’ll be troubling you then, Junior Brother." Yue Qingyu gave a small smile and a slight nod.

The two then fell into silence, just as they often did, a simple quietness tinged with tranquility.

*

*

*

Xu Ran had originally thought that after Shen Wuchen’s defeat at the hands of Zhang Zhentian, the halo surrounding him as the youngest Nascent Soul True Monarch in the Cultivation Realm in a hundred thousand years would fade, and no one would pay him any mind.

At most, he would become a laughingstock for a while. He could then lie low, cultivate diligently, and perhaps reclaim the spotlight after breaking through to the Divinity Transformation Realm.

But evidently, he was mistaken. Things did not develop as he had imagined, and Shen Wuchen was not going to be able to cultivate in peace.

Early one morning, he heard a resonant shout echo:

"Huang Yunxiao of the Purple Sun Sect has come to request guidance from Wuchen True Monarch!"

The moment the voice faded, the entire Sect erupted into a commotion.

Since it concerned Shen Wuchen, Xu Ran naturally had to go take a look.

On his way over, he overheard other sect members discussing the matter.

"Huang Yunxiao from the Purple Sun Sect... I’ve heard of him. He was once a famous prodigy in Cyan Cloud County, reaching the Golden Core Realm before he was even a hundred. Many considered him a Divinity Transformation Seed. But who would have thought that after several centuries, he’d still be stuck at the Golden Core Realm, unable to advance an inch? He was gradually forgotten. I never imagined he’d show up at our Sect."

An elderly-looking Core Formation Elder remarked, shaking his head with a wistful sigh.

Hearing this, Xu Ran recalled what he knew about the Purple Sun Sect of Cyan Cloud County.

In the Eastern Domain, among the influences presided over by cultivators at the Divinity Transformation Realm or higher, the Upper Three Sects were in Taixu County and seven other major powers were in Profound Celestial County. The remaining seventy percent were all concentrated in Cyan Cloud County.

However, with only a single Divinity Transformation Daoist Monarch, the Purple Sun Sect was considered merely an average power in Cyan Cloud County and didn’t have much of a reputation. They hadn’t been present the last time Zhao Wuyang and Liu Yunge came for the Dao exchange.

Regardless, they were still a Divinity Transformation Influence. Huang Yunxiao’s sudden arrival would likely be difficult to handle.

As he was thinking this, they arrived outside the main gates of the Profound Pure Sect. There stood a burly, middle-aged man in ornate robes and a handlebar mustache. His gaze was sharp as a torch, and he was brimming with fighting spirit.

An Elder from Celestial Profound Peak, one from the Sect Leader’s own line, stepped forward. He gave Huang Yunxiao a Daoist salute before rebuking him with a dark expression:

"Fellow Daoist Huang, what is the meaning of this? As a mere Golden Core Cultivator, you come to our Sect’s gates with such fanfare to challenge our Wuchen True Monarch. Such a provocative act is truly rude. If we were to strike you down right now, your esteemed sect would have no grounds to complain."

The Celestial Profound Peak Elder appeared refined and amiable, and his etiquette before speaking was perfect, yet his words dripped with killing intent. Even Huang Yunxiao was startled, not having expected the Profound Pure Sect to react so strongly.

However, the Elder’s words were clear and logical; he was entirely in the right. Huang Yunxiao hurriedly raised his hand to form a Dao Seal and replied in a tone that was neither servile nor overbearing:

"I hope my fellow Daoists of the Profound Pure Sect will forgive my impertinence. I had only heard that Wuchen True Monarch is the youngest Nascent Soul True Monarch in the Cultivation Realm in a hundred thousand years, and my heart was filled with admiration. I have traveled a great distance specifically to ask for his guidance."

The same Celestial Profound Peak Elder sneered, his expression full of disdain.

"You know full well our Wuchen True Monarch’s reputation as a peerless talent, the likes of whom only appears once in a hundred thousand years. That being the case, what gives a piddling Golden Core cultivator like you the nerve to ask for his guidance?"

Despite these words, Huang Yunxiao did not get angry. He simply replied, his tone still perfectly balanced between deferential and proud:

"This request may be abrupt, but my admiration for Wuchen True Monarch is boundless. If I can but receive his instruction, I am willing to offer up half of my entire collection for a single chance to have my doubts dispelled."

Hearing this reply, a flicker of disappointment flashed in the Celestial Profound Peak Elder’s eyes. ’I mocked him so much, yet he didn’t take the bait. It looks like there’s no way to justifiably kill him now.’

’This makes things difficult.’

Just as he was thinking this, a figure came striding through the air.

Shen Wuchen, dressed in white, had a proudly aloof expression and a frosty air about him. He stared impassively at Huang Yunxiao and spoke slowly:

"Ninety percent. If you agree, then this Monarch will give you some pointers."

Hearing Shen Wuchen speak, Xu Ran, who was in the crowd, stared at him in stunned silence. ’I never knew this student of mine was so good at business.’

’Not bad, not bad at all. He is my student, after all.’

Huang Yunxiao struggled with the decision for a moment, then raised his hands in a deep bow toward Shen Wuchen. "Thank you, Wuchen True Monarch, for your favor."

*

*

*

For Huang Yunxiao to dare issue a challenge, he naturally had some skill. He managed to last for half a day against Shen Wuchen before finally being defeated.

He did not go back on his word. He readily handed over ninety percent of his assets, even volunteering to let the people from the Profound Pure Sect inspect them. He then swore a Great Dao oath that the remainder would be delivered by a trusted messenger.

After that, he left with an excited look on his face.

This left many people in the crowd bewildered. ’He lost the fight and gave up ninety percent of his possessions, so why is he so happy?’

It wasn’t until a few days later that the news began to spread: Huang Yunxiao of the Purple Sun Sect, a mere Golden Core Cultivator, had managed to last for half a day against the youngest Nascent Soul True Monarch in a hundred thousand years, only to be narrowly defeated in the end.

Immediately following this news, Huang Yunxiao, who had been obscure for centuries, once again became a high-profile figure in the Cultivation Realm. He traveled everywhere to attend Dao exchanges and was pursued by countless admirers wherever he went. Only then did everyone understand his true goal.

’Good heavens,’ they thought. ’This wasn’t a challenge at all. He was clearly just using the fight to boost his own fame!’

Huang Yunxiao had long since faded into obscurity among the newer generation of prodigies, but with this single battle, he experienced a resurgence and became the center of attention once more.

After understanding the reason for all this, a single thought popped into the minds of the Profound Pure Sect members.

It looked like Wuchen True Monarch was about to get very busy.

Sure enough, just a few days later, another resonant shout echoed through the sect:

"Feng Wuhen of the Starfall Sect humbly requests guidance from Wuchen True Monarch!"